Earlier this month, we asked: Which Richmond restaurant do you miss the most? Which restaurant or meal do you wish were still around?
Piece of cake, right? RICtoday readers sent us food for thought — let’s stroll down memory lane, because we love a moment of local nostalgia.
Mamma Zu
For 27 years, Oregon Hill was home to this beloved Italian eatery. Owner Ed Vasaio served Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, and countless Richmonders — thankfully, sister restaurants Edo’s Squid, Dinamo, and 8 1/2 are still around.
Mojo’s
Reader Kayleigh C. lamented that the VCU students of today and tomorrow “will never know the sweet, salty splendidness” of the tater tot bucket at Mojo’s. The Cary Street restaurant closed in 2020.
Texas-Wisconsin Border Cafe
This restaurant was an institution on Main Street for 17 years before it closed in 1999. Take it from @threekeikis on Instagram:
“Good times, very innovative in the early days of new restaurants. Potato latkes, yum.”
Bill’s Barbecue
This local chain of barbecue restaurants closed all of its remaining locations in 2012, leaving Richmonders searching for new spots for limeade and apple pie. The first location had opened in the River City in 1930.
Grace Place
Reader Stacie V. shared this memory of the vegetarian restaurant:
“I can still taste the chocolate raspberry cheesecake. I had my last meal there the final night they were open, Dec. 31, 1996, and my favorite waitress, Theresa, gave me a menu to keep.”
Comfort
The southern restaurant was a favorite for many locals during its 17 years in business. Fun fact: Its customers included Drew Barrymore and Molly Ringwald.
Owner Michele Jones is now the Executive Director of the Positive Vibe Foundation, an organization providing pre-employment training and community for young adults with disabilities.
Readers also showed a lot of love for The Black Sheep, The White Dog, Robin Inn, Saison, and Pasta Luna.
Feel free to keep sharing your memories of Richmond restaurants gone by with us.
